Oakland vegetarians and vegans celebrate Thanksgiving meat-free

No animals were harmed in the making of this meal: At The Breakroom Cafe on 13th Street and Harrison, the classic Thanksgiving meal is done vegetarian style. Pictured: vegetarian mash potatoes and gravy, greens, cranberry sauce, faux turkey and stuffing.

Four people eat in The Breakroom Cafe, on the edge of Chinatown near Lake Merritt, shortly after it opens on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The vegetarian-turned-vegan restaurant, which isn’t usually open on weekends, is serving a special vegan Thanksgiving dinner. Proceeds are being donated to an animal rescue organization in the San Joaquin Valley. On the menu: mashed potatoes, gravy, faux turkey, stuffing, greens, butternut squash soup and cranberry sauce.

Breakroom’s vegan Thanksgiving—served almost a week before Thanksgiving day—is just one of the ways that Oakland vegetarians and vegans are twisting the meat-filled holiday to fit their lives. Some meat-free Oaklanders will be eating veggie “meat” on Thursday, others will focus on traditionally vegetarian side dishes, and others are just looking forward to sitting down with friends and family, no matter what’s on the table.